Friday, 21 July 2017

Late July 2017

July 31st. Around were 4 Spoonbill, 5 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 3 Arctic Skua, a Mediterranean Gull, 1000 Sandwich Tern, a Red Kite and a Hobby. Flying south were a Whimbrel, 9 Turnstone, 566 Common Tern, 746 Sandwich Tern, a Swift, a Short-eared Owl and 6 Swallow.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 5 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Sedge Warbler, a Linnet and a Goldfinch; and 5 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock, a Chiffchaff and a Great Tit.

On Jackson's Marsh were 8 Spoonbill, a Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, 70 Black-tailed Godwit and a Yellow Wagtail; and on Tennyson's Sands a Spotted Redshank and 2 Black-tailed Godwit. Going south were 35 Swift; and west a Collared Dove. A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, a Linnet, a Reed Bunting, 3 Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Blackbird and a Whitethroat.July 28th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.
On Tennyson's Sands were 300 Redshank and 76 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Common Sandpiper. Around were 16 Spoonbill, a Little Stint and 400 Dunlin. Heading south were 44 Dunlin, 32 Turnstone, 18 Whimbrel, 616 Knot, 82 Black-tailed Godwit, 800 Swift, 12 Sand Martin and 5 Swallow. Sea-watching revealed 10 Gannet, 800 Common Scoter, 2 Arctic Tern, 30 Common Tern, 6 Little Tern, 200 Sandwich Tern and a Great Crested Grebe.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 4 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Whitethroat and a Linnet; and 5 retraps: 2 Wren, 2 Whitethroat and a Dunnock.July 27th. On Tennyson's Sands were 125 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and 8 Little Tern; and on Jackson's Marsh a Common Sandpiper. An Asio Spp was in East Dunes around dawn. Birds around included 14 Spoonbill, a Peregrine, a Grey Heron, a Little Stint, 3 Whimbrel, 50 Black-tailed Godwit, 7000 Knot, 800 Dunlin, 300 Sanderling, 2 Arctic Skua, a juvenile Cuckoo and 21 Yellow Wagtail. Flying south were an Alba Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 65 Sand Martin, 7 House Martin and 8 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, provided 9 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Linnet, a Yellow Wagtail, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock; and 12 retraps: a Great Tit, a Robin, a Linnet, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Dunnock.
Invertebrates included 9 Wasp Spiders discovered on the saltmarsh.

Juvenile Yellow Wagtail, ringed 27th July 2017.Photo - George Gregory

Wasp Spider, 27th July 2017.Photo - Jim Shaw

Wasp Spider, 27th July 2017.Photo - Jim Shaw

July 26th. Increasing, then decreasing, southerly wind; early afternoon rain.
Around were 3 Spoonbill, an adult Hobby, a Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, 5 Arctic Skua, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 400 Starling. By Millennium Ridge were a Little Stint, 21 Turnstone and a Curlew Sandpiper. On Tennyson's Sands were 78 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Ruff. Going south were 27 Arctic Tern, 25 Swift, 200 Sand Martin and 90 Swallow; and north 350 Common Scoter.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 5 new birds: 2 Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Linnet and a Magpie; and 3 retraps: a Great Tit and 2 Dunnock.

Juvenile Magpie, ringed 26th July 2017. Photo - George Gregory

July 25th. Soggy start, gradually drying out.
Birds around included 3 Spoonbill, 3 Marsh Harrier, 4 Greenshank,16 Arctic Skua, 2 Arctic Tern and 4 Yellow Wagtail. By Millennium Ridge were 2 Little Stint. On Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail, a Knot, 4 Ruff and a Kingfisher. Heading south were 40 Shelduck, a Great Crested Grebe, 19 Whimbrel, 6 Sand Martin and 22 Swallow; and north a Great Skua.
The ninth session of CES was done this morning. The 17 new birds were 3 Wren, 5 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, a Blue Tit, a Robin and a Great Tit. The 13 retraps were a Song Thrush, a Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Dunnock, a Great Tit, a Wren, a Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff and 2 Long-tailed Tit.July 24th. Rainy spells.
Around were 5 Spoonbill, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 60 Starling and 3 Siskin. On Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail, 58 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Kingfisher. On or off the shore were 30 Common Scoter, 2 Arctic Tern, 300 Sandwich Tern, 5000 Knot, 2500 Sanderling, 800 Dunlin, 2 Little Stint, 24 Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Turnstone and 150 Ringed Plover. Flying south were 12 Common Scoter, 8 Whimbrel, 7 Arctic Skua, 250 Swift and 300 Swallow; north 3 Arctic Skua; and north-west 35 Swift.July 23rd. Rainy spells.
Around were 3 Spoonbill, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank, a Snipe, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Snipe, 24 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Yellow Wagtail. On Tennyson's Sands were an adult Mediterranean Gull, a Water Rail, a Common Sandpiper, a Ruff and 30 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Black-tailed Godwit. Sea-watching produced 250 Common Scoter, 5 Gannet, 520 Sandwich Tern, 2 Little Tern, 4 Arctic Skua, 26 Whimbrel, 2000 Oystercatcher, 15000 Knot, 1500 Sanderling, 300 Ringed Plover and 20 Dunlin. Going south were 15 Sand Martin; and north a Fulmar.July 22nd. Occasional rainy spells.
On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill, a Water Rail, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Little Ringed Plover, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Ruff, a Knot and 56 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Jackson's Marsh 17 Black-tailed Godwit. Off Millennium Ridge were 2 Little Stint. Around were a Peregrine, a Hobby and 4 Arctic Skua. Heading south were an Eider, 7 Gannet, 2 Swift, an Alba Wagtail, 21 Sand Martin and 80 Swallow; and north 40 Common Scoter.July 21st. Moderately strong southerly wind.
On Tennyson's Sands were a Little Ringed Plover, 64 Black-tailed Godwit, a Knot and a Spotted Redshank; and on Jackson's Marsh 2 Common Sandpiper. Around were 5 Spoonbill, 3 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 4 Whimbrel, 1200 Sanderling, 250 Sandwich Tern, an Arctic Tern, 9 Arctic Skua, a Cuckoo, a Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Treecreeper. Flying south were 5 Turnstone, 800 Swift and 16 Sand Martin.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 5 new birds: a Wren, a Linnet and 3 Whitethroat; and 4 retraps: a Wren, a Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.

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Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve and Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory are managed and run by The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust (LWT). Ringing at the Bird Observatory is carried out by LWT volunteers, whilst daily recording of birds, moths and other wildlife is carried out by LWT Wardens, the Bird Observatory Team, volunteers and visitors. Bird ringing started at Gibraltar Point in 1949 and has continued to this day, with over 200,000 new birds ringed by a large number of both local and visiting ringers. The present Group Leader (Ringer in Charge) of the Bird Observatory is George Gregory, and the Secretary is Michael Polling. This site is written by the Bird Observatory Team, and contains news of bird sightings and bird ringing, along with news of other wildlife on the reserve. Please check back regularly and we shall endeavour to keep you informed of our activities. Above all, please enjoy our Observatory Blog.